For immediate release: December 14, 2022 (22-183)
Contact: DOH Communications
High PFOS levels may make some fish unsafe to eat
OLYMPIA – The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) has issued a fish consumption advisory for Lake Washington, Lake Meridian, and Lake Sammamish after finding perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) in several types of fish. PFOS comes from a family of chemicals known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), sometimes called “forever chemicals” in the news.
There is strong evidence from animal studies and growing evidence from human studies that chemicals in the PFAS family, like PFOS, can harm human health. For people, having PFAS chemicals in your body could:
- Interfere with your immune system and make some vaccinations less effective.
- Increase your risk for:
- kidney cancer,
- a lower birth weight for your baby, and/or
- high cholesterol.
New human studies show PFAS chemicals may also increase your risk for:
- Other cancers (like testicular cancer),
- Thyroid disease, and/or
- High blood pressure during pregnancy and other reproductive issues.
Your risk of developing health problems depends on how much, how often, and how long you were exposed. Age, lifestyle, and overall health can impact how your body responds to PFOS exposure. The best way to protect yourself and your family is to lower your exposure.
DOH recommends continuing to eat fish because it has many health benefits. Follow the updated guidelines to limit your PFOS exposure and safely eat fish caught in Lake Washington, Lake Sammamish, and Lake Meridian.
- Lake Washington:
Lake Washington has existing advisories for PCBs and mercury. DOH is now adding recommendations for PFOS.
-
- Common Carp: Do not eat
- Cutthroat Trout: Do not eat
- Largemouth Bass: Do not eat
- Smallmouth Bass: Do not eat
- Northern Pikeminnow: Do not eat
- Yellow Perch: Up to 1 meal* per month
- Brown Bullhead: Up to 4 meals per month
- Pumpkinseed: Healthy choice
- Rainbow Trout: Healthy choice
- Sockeye Salmon: Healthy choice
- Lake Sammamish:
- Largemouth Bass: Do not eat
- Northern Pikeminnow: Do not eat
- Yellow Perch: Up to 1 meal per month
- Smallmouth Bass: Up to 2 meals per month
- Brown Bullhead: Healthy choice
- Lake Meridian:
- Northern Pikeminnow: Do not eat
- Smallmouth Bass: Do not eat
- Yellow Perch: Up to 1 meal per month
- Largemouth Bass: Up to 1 meal per month
- Kokanee: Up to 2 meals per month
- Brown Bullhead: Healthy choice
*One meal for an adult is equivalent to one 8-ounce uncooked fillet, or a piece of fish approximately the same size and thickness as your palm.
Fish Advisory signs at the lakes will be updated by the start of the Spring fishing season.
Currently, there are no PFOS advisories on saltwater fish or other lakes in Washington. The Department of Ecology (ECY) collected fish samples from Lake Washington, Lake Sammamish, and Lake Meridian first because those lakes were identified as higher concern for PFOS in previous sampling. ECY is monitoring for other types of PFAS chemicals, and DOH anticipates receiving more data from ECY and other partners over the next several years.
For more information on advisories, visit DOH’s fish webpage or email doheheha@doh.wa.gov. Talk to your healthcare provider if you have concerns about how PFOS or fish may affect you.
Additional PFOS Resources: Factsheet, Q&A, Washington Tracking Network
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